Frequently asked questions
FAQ Austria – Everything you need to know about EPR regulations in Europe.
Austria
In many countries, producers of products subject to EPR requirements will be prosecuted with fines, if they are not able to prove their EPR compliance. In several countries, Electronic Marketplaces are legally obliged to confirm that their sellers are EPR compliant in the country they sell. If sellers can not prove their EPR compliance to the respective Marketplaces, they can be suspended from selling their non-compliant listings under EPR product categories. These regulations vary from country to country and can possibly be dealt with differently by each Marketplace. To determine the specific consequences of your situation, we recommend contacting the respective PRO in the country you are selling your product in.
The legal basis for EPR regulations in Austria is the Waste Management Act (Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz – AWG) which was updated with an amendment in the year 2021, as well as the packaging regulation (Verpackungsverordnung – VerpackVO) which was updated with an amendment in the year 2021.
Companies subject to EPR requirements in Austria have to fulfill their responsibility as producers by taking part in a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO). One of the PROs in Austria is, for example, Reclay Systems.
To be EPR compliant in Austria, producers of products subject to EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) requirements can register with a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO). Producers have to submit a packaging declaration for each year. Eco-contributions must be paid to the respective PRO. To find out more about EPR requirements in Austria, we recommend booking a meeting with one of our experts.
Participation in a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) for packaging is mandatory in Austria. However, there is no obligation to register in a producer register on your own. The PRO reports the customer data to VKS Verpackungskoordinierungsstelle (Packaging coordination office) which inserts them into the system participants register. On top of the mandatory registration with a PRO, the Demarcation Ordinance stipulates a division into commercial and household packaging depending on the sector. Different fees apply depending on the packaging material. Since January 2023, companies without their own registered office in Austria must appoint an ‘authorized representative’ who assumes producer responsibility before the legislator and is responsible for fulfilling the EPR obligations.
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